


And The Parent-of-the-Year Award Goes To...

by Laily



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Loki: Where Mischief Lies, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Family Feels, Fluff, Humor, Implied Mpreg (Past), M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27120214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laily/pseuds/Laily
Summary: Caught in the most important battle of their lives, Stephen and Loki must outdo one another in order to prevail!
Relationships: Loki/Stephen Strange
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	And The Parent-of-the-Year Award Goes To...

“No, Stephen. If I cannot go to my own son’s Career Day as myself, the Mightiest Sorcerer in all of the Nine Realms, then you are not going as the Sorcerer Supreme,” Loki said irritably. “Never mind your limited repertoire. If my magic is to be kept under lock and key, then so should yours.”

“These are mortal children, Loki. We have to be realistic.”

Stephen pursed his lips gleefully. He had an advantage over Loki, and boy, was he going to use it. 

“I can go as a neurosurgeon. I am one,” he said casually, feigning nonchalance. “Or was. When I was Stian’s age, I had a friend whose dad was a doctor. He drove a Pontiac Firebird. Now _that’s_ realistic.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“I’m sure that’s all very impressive, darling,” Loki said, patting Stephen’s shoulder placatingly. “I’m just not sure if kids would find it interesting, that’s all.”

“What do you mean? The brain is the most complex organ in the body, of course it’s interesting.”

“Now there’s an oxymoron if ever I’ve heard one.”

“So you think you can do better?”

“Yes. I will go as myself. My other self. Loki of Asgard. Crown Prince and Adviser to the King,” Loki heaved an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll even wear the hideous royal regalia and everything.” 

“Seriously? You’re going to tell a bunch of seven-year-olds they should aim for a career as a _prince?”_

“Well, yes,” Loki said defensively. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Loki, I don’t know if you know this, but here on Midgard people are either born royalty or they are born commoners,” Stephen tried to reason. “The last thing you want is to have them aspire to be a prince or princess and have their hearts broken in the end.”

“Tell that to Disney,” Loki muttered. “If that’s the case...I will go as my other, other self.”

This Stephen had to hear. “And what is your other, other self?”

“A consultant detective,” Loki said firmly. "Like that fellow on the telly with the trench coat, the one who talks funny.”

Stephen laughed. “Sherlock Holmes?”

“Yes.”

Stephen laughed again. “What do you know about being a detective?”

“What an unkind thing to say,” Loki said, looking offended. “I’ll have you know I was once issued an edict by the Allfather himself to descend upon Midgard and investigate a string of murders in Victorian London.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Did you solve it?”

“Yes and no,” Loki admitted. “I may have done something a little...extra.”

He mumbled something under his breath which Stephen caught, but was too bizarre it made Stephen wonder if he had misheard. 

“Sorry, did you say zombies?”

“Did I say zombies?” Loki asked innocently. “I meant to say I led a legion army of The Undead into Asgard to um...impress my Father.”

“Okay.” Stephen massaged his temples. “First of all, zombies? And secondly, how was invading Asgard ever a good idea to win over anybody’s heart, let alone your Father who happened to be King?”

“That’s how I show my affection. Thor can attest to that. I stabbed him many, many times, and he still loves me.”

“Your logic astounds me,” Stephen muttered. “Now I’m not sure if I’m glad you’ve never tried to kill me or devastated that you haven’t.” 

“Aww.” Loki patted Stephen on the cheek. His husband looked so forlorn that Loki decided he wanted to kiss him, only to be struck by an epiphany at the very last minute, leaving Stephen mouthing empty air –

“I’ve got it! A _criminalist.”_

“That’s just another name for detective, isn’t it.”

“Sounds more arresting the way I said it,” Loki said cheerily. “Haha. Get it? Arresting?” 

“Yes...” Stephen drawled. He was beginning to fathom just how extra Loki was. In everything.

“I’ve decided,” Loki announced. “I’m going as a memorial photographer.”

“That’s...quite a jump. But at least it wouldn’t scare the children as much, I suppose.”

“It wouldn’t?” Loki raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Looks like I may have given mortal children too little credit. But nevertheless, one is never too young to see their first dead body.”

Stephen gave him an odd look. “What does taking photos of memorials have anything to do with dead bodies?”

Loki matched Stephen’s odd look with one of his own. Then his forehead unfurrowed as understanding finally dawned upon him.

“Oh, Stephen,” he chuckled, softly at first. The chuckle soon escalated into an eerie, full-blown cackle that had him doubled over with laughter.

“Sorry,” Loki gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. “I forgot you weren’t alive back in the 19th century.”

“I have a feeling I am about to regret this but I gotta ask.” Stephen inhaled deeply. “What does a memorial photographer do?”

“In Victorian times, photography was a novelty and most could only afford it once in their lifetime. What better way to immortalise your dead loved ones than with a photograph?”

Loki wrapped his arms around the back of Stephen’s neck.

“Memento mori, Doctor.” His gaze dropped to Stephen’s lips, counting every horrified breath as it warmed his cold, cold skin. “ ‘Remember you must die’.”

“As all men must," Stephen murmured.

“As all men must," Loki agreed.

A slow, sweet kiss later,

“I’m still not letting you go to Stian’s school pretending you take pictures of corpses for a living.” 

Knowing Loki, he probably had a few if not tons of memorial portraits in his pocket universe. “And I don’t care how lifelike they look. It’s macabre and very unsettling. You’re gonna give them nightmares.”

Loki pouted. “You’re no fun.”

Stephen gave him a triumphant look. “Hah! I’ll have you know that I am quite the entertainer. I even cameo’d on Jimmy Kimmel’s show once!”

Loki just stared at him blankly. “An entertainer.”

“The Mightiest Magician in the Cosmos,” Stephen pointed at himself proudly. He clapped both hands and mimicked the act of someone taking a tall hat off. “Entertainer. I entertain.”

“What, like at parties?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Loki’s lips twitched under the threat of a snicker. “Children’s parties, you mean?”

“No, no...not just.” Stephen’s indignant scowl wavered. “Uhm.”

Loki’s mouth opened and closed.

“You do tricks at adult parties too?” he finally asked, voice flat, eyes empty.

Stephen was standing in a hole. Should he dig deeper? Or should he climb out of it? He had no clue. 

“Adult parties can be...fun,” he finished lamely. 

“Oh, I’m sure,” Loki said, his demeanour the epitome of cool, but that was definitely murder in his eyes. 

Maybe Loki’s wish would come true and he would get one of those death portraits done after all. Of Stephen.

“Loki, honey – ”

“Save it, Strange,” Loki interrupted. “I have decided when I married you that I would accept you, hammer-toed and crooked teeth and all.”

“Crook – ” Stephen ran his tongue along the lines of his teeth. _Really?_

“Looks like we’re at a standstill. We can’t go as ourselves. We certainly can’t go as our alter egos either.”

Thrilled at having been bestowed the ‘get out of jail free’ card by his beloved yet tempestuous life partner, Stephen nodded his head quickly. “Looks like. What do you suggest we do?”

“We could maybe ask one of your friends?” Loki suggested reluctantly. 

“Now wait just a minute – ”

“I don’t have any friends,” Loki answered quickly. “Korg is a pile of rocks and Miek is a giant worm. So it has to be one of yours.”

“Or maybe none of ours?” Stephen was getting desperate. He was loath to ask any of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, (or worse the Avengers!) to go to his son’s Career Day in his stead; his pride would not be able to handle it. 

Then a brilliant idea struck. “Why don’t we take Stian out of school for one day? Go for a nice picnic, see the sights, surely he can afford to miss one day of school?”

“Stian is a Prince of Asgard. The heir presumptive to the throne should be a role model to the other children, not promote absenteeism,” Loki said heatedly.

“Who do you suggest then?” Stephen demanded. “And before you say it, I am _not_ calling Tony Stark.”

Loki’s eyes flashed. His nostrils flared. His head reared. “I would _burn_ the school to the ground first.” 

“Daddy? Pappa?” 

They both turned to glower at the door.

“What are you two arguing about?” Doctor Bruce Banner asked nervously. “Looks pretty serious.”

“Stian?” “Bruce?”

“What are you doing here?” Stephen and Loki asked at the same time.

Loki frowned deeply. “And shouldn’t you be at school?” 

Bruce laughed kindly. “We had a lot of fun, didn’t we, Stian?”

“Yeah!” Stian nodded enthusiastically. “Everyone was saying how cool you were, Uncle Bruce!” He turned to his parents. “You should have seen Uncle Bruce at school, Daddy – he made a hybrid rocket engine using just a piece of pasta! I can’t wait to tell Morgan!”

And with that, he bounded up the stairs to his room with the speed of light like the lightning bolt that he was.

“Not just pasta,” Bruce said with a furious blush. “Although the ingredients are pretty simple, some yeast, hydrogen peroxide, water and – are you two alright?”

“Uh, no offense, Banner,” Stephen cleared his throat, “But why are you...here?”

“Stian asked me if I could come to his school for Career Day. I took Tony’s jet and everything,” Bruce explained, looking baffled. “Didn’t he tell you?”

“Career Day, that’s _today?”_ Stephen exclaimed. 

“Yeah.” Bruce frowned. “Didn’t you know?”

Loki was too horrified for words...save for a very upset “Oh, dear.”

*******************

They sat on the floor on the porch, side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

They watched the sun go lower and lower until it finally disappeared into the horizon, leaving only streaks of amber in the sky.

"Bruce _is_ his Godfather."

Loki hummed glumly. 

Stephen tried again. "A scientist is a perfectly respectable profession."

Loki sniffed. Still he said nothing. 

Stephen sighed heavily. “Guess we struck out with this one.”

“Yeah...” Loki felt awfully sorry for himself. Self-pity always made his head feel heavy so he dropped it onto Stephen’s shoulder with an audible thunk. “Guess we did.”

“Guess we have to get to work on the next one then.”

Loki blinked, unsure of what to say. 

Stian’s birth had been hard, sure, but they had never talked about it. Not really.

Loki lifted his head off Stephen’s shoulder and turned slowly to look at his husband. 

_Are you sure?_ He asked silently.

Stephen smiled gently. _It's time._

“I guess we do,” Loki answered, breathless all of a sudden from all the butterflies. 

They shared a kiss, made sweeter by the disappearing sunset and the promise of a future as bright as the stars above their heads. 

“Show me the magic, Doctor Strange.”

**Author's Note:**

> Something lighthearted for the mid-week slump. 🥰 
> 
> Stian is their firstborn in the Capsule Collection universe. 
> 
> The murder investigation in London, the zombies, the invasion of Asgard...that's all part of the plot in Mackenzi Lee's novel, Loki: Where Mischief Lies. (A must-read for Loki fans!)
> 
> Thanks for reading! 🌹


End file.
